Whiffletree.



PATBNTBD JAN-13,

:2. mV 1 o, VES. STEM RRAk ETD HEB GLI IFH .HHN 0.5m .AWA .m L .P P A H0MODEL.

@Mig/0); amm@ UNITED STATES PATENT CEEICE.

CHARLES I'IIGHERS, OF VICKSBURG, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES VIGGINS,OF VICKSBURG, KENTUCKY.

WHIFFLETREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 718,457, dated January13, 1903. Application'iiled August 30i1902.. Serial No. 121,648. (Nomodeh) To all whom] t may concern: v

Beit known that I, CHARLES HIGHERS, a citizen oi' the United States,residing at Vicksburg, in the county of Livingston and State ofKentucky, have invented a new and useful Whiffletree, of which thefollowing is a specication.

This invention relates to draw-bars, and/is particularly designed toprovide an improved Whiffletree wherein the body of the device ismaterially strengthened and stiffened. It is furthermore designed toprovide the ends of the Whifietree with improved means for connectingthe traces thereto in a simple and efficient manner, said means beingadapted to prevent accidental displacement of the traces and at the sametime to permit of removal of the traces whenever desired.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter morefully described, shown in the accompanyingdrawings,and particularlypointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes inthe form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made Within thescope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing anyof the advantages of vthe invention.

In the drawings, Figure l is aplan view of a whifetree embodying thefeatures of the present invention. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view. Fig.3 is a longitudinal sectional View thereof. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailcross section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail perspectiveview of the brace-bar with the terminal trace-hooks.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in all of thefigures of the drawings. f

Referring to the accompanying drawings, l designates the body of thewhiffietree, which is of wood, is substantially cylindrical in shape andtapers gradually in opposite directions from the middle thereof. In theback of the whiiiietree there is provided a longitudinal groove or seat2, which communicates at its opposite ends with transverse grooves,

notches, or seats 3, formed across the eX-.

tremities of the Whiftletree.

A metallic stiffening and strengthening rod [and into the whiffletree.

of, the shank 7 of which is fitted snugly in the notch or seat 3 of theadjacent end of the whifietree, the outer extremity of the bar beingbent transversely inward across the shank and in alinement with thewhiffletree, so as to form a spring-tongue 8, which normally closes theentrance into the hook to prevent accidental displacement of atrace-link.

-It will of course be understood that a tracelink`can be snapped intoengagement with the trace-hook by pressingthe Iinkagainst thespring-tongue 8, whereby the latter will be displaced so as to permitthe link entering the hook, after which the spring-tongue Will snap backinto its original position, and thereby close the hook againstaccidental displacement of the link.

Equally at opposite sides of the eye 5 are bands or rings 9, whichsnugly embrace the whiffletree and the rod or bar 2 and are heid againstdisplacement in an endwise direction upon the whiftletree by means ofpins or similar fastenings 10, driven through the bands Similar bands 1lare fitted to the ends of thewhiftletree, so as to hold the ends of therod or'bar'2 in place and also prevent splitting of the tree.

From Vthe foregoing description it is apparent that the device ofthe-present invention is very strong and durable and at the same time iscomparatively light, as it combines Wooden and metallic parts in such amanner as to give strength and durability and at the same time to retainthe lightness of an ordinary whiffletree.

What I claim is-- 1. A whiflletree having its rear side provided with alongitudinal groove, a rod or bar fitted in said groove with anintermediate portion formed into an eye, and its terminals formed intosubstantially U-shaped trace-hooks extending across and iitted againstthe ends of the whi-ffletree, with the extremities of the bar benttransversely inward across the Shanks of the respective hooks and inalineinent with the Whiiietree to form spring-tongues for closing theentrance into the hooks, bands or rings embracing the Whifletree and therod or bar ata plurality of points, and means for holding the bandsagainst displacement.

2. A Whifietree comprising a Wooden body provided at its back with alongitudinal groove and having transverse recesses at its endscommunicating With the groove, a stiffening rod or bar tted in thegroove and provided between its ends With an eye and having its endsbent forwardly and arranged in the transverse recesses and provided withtrace-engaging devices, and bands or rings embracing the body portion ofthe Whitfietree and retaining the stiffening rod or bar in CHARLESHIGHERS.

Vitnesses:

Jon WIeGiNs, CHARLIE WIGGINS.

